


we drifted towards the storm

by thequeenofokay



Series: we watched the day go by, stories of all we did (aos next gen) [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen, Next-Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 14:30:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3695828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequeenofokay/pseuds/thequeenofokay
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ace sits across from the Director, and she pushes a file across the desk towards her. ‘I have a mission for you,’ she says. ‘It’s a little bigger than you’ve had before, but I know you can handle it. I’m giving you your own strike team.’</p><p>// Twenty-something years in the future Ace Peterson is given his own Shield team. He accidentally recruits a lot of prodigies.</p>
            </blockquote>





	we drifted towards the storm

**Author's Note:**

> \+ wow okay so me and georgia have been working on this for like?? forever it feels like?? pls love us basically. love this series it's our baby.
> 
> \+ there's a little list of who everyone is at the bottom. just to help you keep track.
> 
> \+ title from "your bones" by of monsters and men.
> 
> \+ [tumblr](http://rainward.tumblr.com)

This is how it begins:

Ace is called up to the Director’s office. It’s not a huge surprise – he’s a high ranking field agent. But the Director is usually too busy to see him individually, and instead messages get filtered down through deputies.

She smiles when he enters her office. ‘Agent Peterson,’ she says. ‘Have a seat.’

He sits across from her, and she pushes a file across the desk towards her. ‘I have a mission for you,’ she says. ‘It’s a little bigger than you’ve had before, but I know you can handle it. I’m giving you your own strike team.’

Ace should probably remain professional – but what the hell. This is the biggest assignment he’s had in his time in the agency. He breaks into a grin. ‘Really?’

She nods. ‘Really. You’ll have control over what missions you take, and you can handpick a team of agents who will report to you directly. But –’ She levels him with an accusing look, ‘—it’s a _small_ team. Understood?’

Ace tries to give her a serious look. ‘Yes. Of course.’

‘Great. Everything else you need to know should be in there.’ She taps the folder. ‘If you’ve got any questions, send them my way.’

He takes the folder, flicking through it. ‘Thanks, Skye,’ he says. ‘Really.’

‘You’ve proved yourself,’ she says. ‘You deserve this.’

He doesn’t quite know what to say to that. He has, definitely. He’s risen through Shield’s ranks on his own merit, not his legacy or his connection to the Director. Still. He’s more than a little flattered.

‘It means a lot,’ he says.

Skye smiles slightly. Ace can see her eyes flicking to the screens around her, to the messages and alerts that need her attention. He’ll have to leave soon.

‘How’s Connor doing?’ he asks quickly.

Some of Skye’s Director face drops away, and it’s replaced by something softer, more like the girl who saved him from that Hydra’s base twenty-something years ago. ‘He’s good,’ she says, and then hesitates. ‘I think. He’s getting better at controlling his powers.’ She gives the exasperated little sigh of a mother. ‘He wants out in the field, but I know he’s not ready.’

‘From what I’ve seen, he’s very capable,’ Ace says.

Skye sighs. ‘It’s not that he’s not capable, he’s just…’ She shakes her head slightly. ‘He’s my son, and I know how dangerous it is out in the field.’

There’s an aggressive beeping from one of the monitors before Ace can say anything. Skye turns to it, and swears. ‘Sorry,’ she says. ‘There’s been a screw up on an op. I have to run damage control.’

Ace nods, standing. ‘Sure,’ he says.

‘We’ll catch up later,’ she says, already typing at a ridiculous rate (he can see where Connor got his skill from). ‘I promise.’

‘Definitely,’ he says. ‘I look forward to it.’

 

*****

 

Margot throws her arms around Ace. He catches her easily, as he as for as long as they’ve known each other (that’s a lie – when they first new each other and he was still smaller than her she could almost bowl him over).

‘This is amazing,’ she says. ‘I’m so happy for you.’

‘You know you’re on my team, right?’ he asks, pulling back.

Margot frowns. ‘You’re sure? You get a small team. You should be taking valuable agents, not just a medic.’

‘Margot,’ Ace says, ‘you’re always my backup. That’s not changing.’

She smiles. ‘Fine. You’d be lost without me, I suppose.’

‘I would be,’ he concedes. ‘But you’d be as lost without me.’

She squints at him, feigning what he guesses is supposed to be an insulted look. ‘ _Maybe_. Who else are you taking on with you?’

‘I’m not sure, yet,’ he says. ‘Carey, definitely.’

Margot nods. ‘And the boy who’s S.O. Carey is. The Hunter boy.’

‘We’ll work with the four of us, then,’ he says. ‘And you know the best bit?’

‘There’s something better than you leading your own team and getting to pick your own missions?’ Margot asks.

‘Oh yeah.’ Ace grins. ‘I get my own plane. And I’m not talking just a little plane, I’m talking – do you remember the Bus?’

‘The one that my brother was on?’ she asks. He knows she has a few pictures Trip sent her of it. He shouldn’t have, since _technically_ it broke a whole lot of Shield’s rules. But Trip would have done anything for his little sister.

‘Imagine the Bus, but with all the best upgrades. That’s what we’re getting,’ he says.

He can see Margot’s eye’s brightening. ‘When do we start?’ she asks.

 

*****

Ace leans over the balcony on the Bus 2.0, to where Carey is training her new trainee in their cargo hold that’s doubling as a training space

‘You still favour your right,’ Carey says. ‘It leaves you open to attack.’

Jack nods. He’s desperately trying not to pant, despite the fact they’ve just done a full spar match. And she’s beaten his ass. Ace pities him a little.

‘Okay. Again,’ Carey says.

Ace clears his throat, and they both look up. ‘Time to spare him for a little,’ he says. ‘We’ve got our first mission.’

Jack probably thinks he’s better at keeping the look of relief of his face that he actually is, and Ace smiles go himself as he heads for the briefing room. He brings up a hologram on the display as his little team arrive.

‘This,’ he says, ‘is an alien artefact thought to have dropped in northern Spain. It’s not a big deal since it’s just our first mission, but I thought it would be a good one for us to test the waters with. We’re heading there now.’

‘We just have to retrieve it?’ Carey confirms. She folds her arms, examining the holographic schematics while Jack mirrors her. ‘Shouldn’t be a problem.’ She’s giving him that _look_ that says she knows there’s more to it.

She’s right.

‘Steven Coulson is meeting us at the site,’ Ace says. ‘There’s been some… diplomacy issues.’

Carey raises an eyebrow. ‘ _Diplomacy_ issues?’

‘Shield, the Spanish security forces have also placed a claim on our artefact. And we can’t guarantee that other groups aren’t going to go after it too, if it words gets out about it. But if we’re there before they arrive or if Steve can sort everything out for us, it’ll all go smoothly,’ Ace says.

Carey is still giving him a look of suspicion. Margot looks supportive, though, so that’s something, and Jack looks enthusiastic.

‘Great,’ Ace says. ‘We’re about an hour and a half out, and I’ll give you all an update when we’re closer.’

His team disperses, and he heads for the supply closet in the back end of the Bus for Icer bullets. He’s reaching for the door just as there’s a scuffling noise and something that sounds suspiciously like swearing.

Ace takes his gun out, opening the door slowly.

He is greeted with the faces of two sheepish Shield prodigies.

‘Connor,’ Ace says. ‘Agent Fitzsimmons. What the _hell_ are you doing on my plane?’

Ellie Fitzsimmons is biting down on her lip, probably to stop herself from smiling. ‘Please don’t kick us off,’ she starts. ‘It’s just – Connor heard you were starting a team and we wanted to travel and make a difference and—’

‘Yes,’ Ace says, cutting her off. ‘I think I get the point.’

‘Please,’ Connor says. He’s a little less… like a small hurricane than Ellie (there’s possibly an irony there, related to the fact that it’s _Connor_ whose powers could bring down their plane if they were to surge, but Ace isn’t going to touch it). ‘We’ll be useful.’

‘You need a scientist,’ Ellie points out.

‘Fine,’ Ace decides. ‘You can stay. But if either of you screw this up for me _once_ , you’re gone. Understood?’

Both nod.

Ellie raises her hand slightly, like she’s still in a classroom (Ace feels like he may be making a huge mistake). ‘Also,’ she says. ‘ _Tiny_ favour. Please don’t tell our parents.’

 

*

 

They land in Spain to find Steve arguing with the Spanish commander. (In Spanish.)

‘He’s pretty certain we can’t have it,’ Steve says, running a hand through his hair. ‘In fact, he says he’d prefer to give it to the other guys than you lot.’

‘The other guys?’ Ace repeats.

Steve grimaces. He points across the fields to where there’s a small group of vans. ‘I think it’s one those independent science groups. But they brought guns.’

Ace lets out a grumble. ‘Looks like my first mission is going to turn into a fight, then,’ he says. ‘Can you distract the Spanish for me?’

Steve gives him a weary look. ‘You owe me,’ he says, and moves back towards the Spanish guards.

‘Carey,’ Ace calls. ‘Ellie. With me. The rest of you, be ready to contain the artefact once we’ve got it on board.’

 

*

 

It takes roughly another two minutes for everything to go to shit.

Somehow, _somehow_ they still manage to get the artefact on board. But Ellie has some nasty scrapes, Connor got caught by a knife, and Carey is nursing bruised ribs with a look that says “I told you so” on her face (and that’s probably the worst of all Ace’s problems).

‘It could have been worse,’ Margot tells him as she patches the team up.

Ace lets out an almost-laugh. ‘I don’t want to see worse,’ he says.

Margot gives him a knowing sort of grimace, and he knows what it means. They’re probably going to see worse. ‘Ask Steve to bake something,’ she says. ‘That’ll get everyone’s spirits up.’

Ace nods. ‘Sure,’ he sighs. ‘First… I think I have to make a call.’

 

*

 

He’s has had the number a long time, and only called it once before.

He looks at his team, crowded in the medbay, only one of whom is fully combat ready. So much for a small team, but he needs help.

 

*

 

Ace can’t think of anything more in the style of the Ward family than a dark alleyway meeting. The elder two are standing shoulder to shoulder, hands on the guns at their hips. Their daughter is a little behind them, her gun already out so she can cover the alley’s entrance.

‘Ace,’ says Grant. ‘It’s been a while.’

Ace nods. ‘Yes,’ he says. He’s not really sure what else there is to say to the three mercenaries.

‘Do you have a job for us?’ Kara asks. ‘The price had better be good – dealing with Shield always has consequences for us.’

Ace smiles. He looks at Grant. ‘You wouldn’t do it as a favour then?’ he asks, and he thinks he makes it sound like a joke.

‘Depends on the favour,’ Grant says. ‘What do you want from us?’

‘It’s not you two,’ Ace says. Slowly, like trying not to spook a predator. ‘It’s your daughter I’d like to employ.’

Her parents don’t visibly react, but Ace can see their daughter freeze and then glance back at her parents.

‘You want April?’ Kara asks. Her voice is harder than before. ‘Why?

‘I have a team,’ Ace tells them, shrugging lightly. ‘I need a specialist. Your daughter would be perfect for the job. It would be a brilliant opportunity.’

Grant glances back at his daughter. She’s got a look on her face that Ace recognises as carefully concealed fear. He’s been around Shield agents long enough to know that look.

‘We’ll discuss it,’ Grant says. They’re already retreating back down the alley.

Ace nods. ‘I’ll hear from you, then,’ he calls, as they round the corner.

 

*

 

Ace doesn’t hear from them. He’s not entirely sure what that means.

And then April Ward is waiting for the Bus the next time it lands, a bag in one arm.

 

*

 

**ace peterson // son of mike peterson;;**   
**margot triplett // sister of antoine triplett;;**   
**caroline (carey) may // niece of melinda may;;**   
**steven coulson // son of phil coulson and audrey nathan;;**   
**jack hunter // son of bobbi morse and lance hunter;;**   
**ellie fitzsimmons // daughter of leo fitz and jemma simmons;;**   
**april ward // daughter of kara palamas and grant ward;;**   
**connor // son of skye;;**


End file.
